1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective device for protecting exposed entryways of elevators from the inadvertent contact and possible damage by furniture, equipment, construction materials and the like being moved in and out of elevators.
2. Description of Related Art
The relocation industry employs numerous devices and methods in order to provide the quickest, safest and most inexpensive move possible for their clients. Moving companies and related industries constantly develop, test and refine innovative products so that such a move is possible. For example, moving companies often utilize lifting devices that are easily movable through constricted spaces, such as door frames. These lifting devices can safely secure a heavy load and allow just a single person to navigate the load in and out of buildings. These devices also reduce the risk of injury to movers.
A typical office mover employs several individuals to load and unload furniture on and off moving equipment or move the furniture by hand. The moving equipment typically is pushed or pulled through the office, through the office doors, in to an elevator, out of the elevator, and through the building's front doors. This procedure is repeated, in reverse, to move the furniture into the new office space. Throughout this moving process, edges and corners of, for example, a hand truck or the furniture can inadvertently come in contact with walls, doors, and jambs, not only damaging the moving equipment and furniture, but also the walls, doors and jamb surfaces.
Similar to the moving process described above, customized construction in an office space can pose a similar risk to both the moving equipment and building materials, and the surfaces of the building's wall, doors and jambs. The expense of repairing damaged walls, doors and door jambs typically falls upon the building owner, the landlord or building management. Thus, movers and contractors rarely bring to the site protective pads to place minimize such damage to buildings to maintain a quality reputation. Thus, movers and contractors utilize moving equipment designed to avoid this type of damage.
One such product is the Spider Crane® used by Office Moving Systems of Atlanta, Ga. The Spider Crane® lifts full lateral files high enough to roll a specially designed steel dolly underneath the files. While the cabinet is held safely suspended, a member of the moving crew slides the steel dolly underneath the cabinet, which is then gently lowered. This type of device not only reduces injuries, but also enables the client to minimize down time since the Spider Crane® lifts a full file cabinet. Thus, the client need not unload the cabinets and pack the files in boxes. The proper use of this type of device also reduces the expense to the moving company of patching and painting walls damaged by moving the cabinets through the office versus when cabinets are moved in more traditional ways, such as by a two-wheel dolly or hand truck, where there is less control over the cabinets while they are moved in and out of the buildings.
Even with the best of care, there is always the risk of damage to property during the moving process. Damage is not confined to the items and products being moved, but can also be sustained by the office or residential structure itself which can be banged, dinged or scratched by the items or the moving equipment such as dollies and hand trucks. The transportation of construction materials through a building passageway also can cause damage, specifically damaging areas of narrowing in the passageway, which are typically at doorways and elevators. An inadvertent scrape can damage the paint, wallpaper and other building surface material.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/781,527, filed on Feb. 17, 2004 discloses a superior entryway protector having a main section with cushioning material and a rigid sheet. The main section has a horizontal fold line with a sheet on each side of the fold line. A minor flap is connected to the main section by a line of stitching or a fold line. A securing system secures the entryway protector to the surfaces being protected. The invention of application Ser. No. 09/695,885 comprises two sections and a securing component. A main rectangular section is separated by a vertical line of stitching from a smaller section, or minor rectangular flap. The minor flap is further provided with a vertical line of stitching forming two minor flap components. Both the main section and the minor flap are also provided with at least one horizontal line of stitching. The vertical and horizontal lines of stitching provide fold lines for the device. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/781,527, 10/090,678, and 09/695,885 are hereby fully incorporated by reference.
In the manufacture and use of these devices of these two applications it was noted that certain modifications of the principal design could be improved on, or made less expensively and still protect building surfaces.